Automatic air-valve.



O. H. SIMMONS.

AUTOMATIC AIR VALVE.

AP'PLIQATION rum) AUG. 15, 1910.

70\ ML ml aumiv 7Q a J22 Z 5 Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

lllvi COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COWASHINGTON. D. c.

CHARLES H. SIMMONS, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD E. FARLEY, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC AIR-VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24:, 1914.

Application filed August 15, 1910. Serial No. 577,335.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Cr-mnnns H. SIMMoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in Automatic Air-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic air valves which are used on steam radiators for permitting the escape of the air from the radiator upon admitting steam to the same and closing the air vent when the air has been expelled by the steam and the parts have become heated. In valves of this kind the valve is usually controlled by a thermostatic member or part which holds the valve in the open position when the parts are cold and which closes the valve by its expansion upon becoming hot. Ithas been proposed to mount the thermostatic member upon a spring or yielding support or abutment, in order to prevent injury to the member when the latter expands further after it has closed the valve, but this style of mounting renders the initial or normal position of the thermostatic member and of the valve uncertain and variable since it depends upon the length, form, stiffness and resiliency of each individual spring.

The objects of this invention are to pro vide means for fixing the initial or normal position of the yieldingly supported thermostatic member irrespective of the nature, size or quality of the yielding support or supporting spring in order that variations in the springs may not cause variations in the operation of the device, and further to render the normal position of the thermostatic member and of the valve readily adjustable.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of an air valve embodying the invention. Fig. 9. is a sectional elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the valve and float. Fig. 4 is a perspec tive view of the supporting socket of the thermostat. Fig. 5 is a cross section in line 5-5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a modified construction of the support for the thermostat.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

The apparatus comprises an upright cylindrical shell or case A. provided near its lower end with a lateral nipple a for connection with the radiator, and at its rounded upper end with a vent opening or passage a for the escape of the air, which opening is formed in a boss B secured within the top of the case and provided with a valve seat 7). The valve 0 is arranged within this boss and stands in its open position below the valve seat, the valve stem C extending downwardly from the valve. The case has at its lower end a base or bottom portion D which has screw-threaded engagement therewith and is provided with a contracted openended throat portion (Z which may be closed by a cap (1 screwed over the same.

The valve stem is mounted upon an in verted cup-shaped float E which rests upon and is carried by a thermostatic member or post F formed of any suitable material which will readily expand under the action of heat. The valve stem preferably extends through the float E and into a socket f in the upper end of the thermostatic member. This prevents the valve and float from shifting their position on the thermostat but does not interfere with the free endwise movement of the float independent of the thermostat for closing the valve. WVhen water enters the casing the float will rise and close the valve, thus preventing the escape of the water from the vent opening.

The lower end of the thermostat F fits in a supporting socket Gr which is closed at its lower end and forms a holder or container for a cushion spring H upon which the thermostat rests. The supporting socket G is secured in the valve casing. being preferably adjustably mounted therein so that it can be raised and lowered, as desired. This may be done in any desirable manner. In the construction shown, the lower end of the socket G on its outer face has screw-threaded engagement with the contracted portion (Z of the base D of the case, and the end of the socket is provided with a slot in which a screw driver can be inserted for turi'ling the socket to adjust its position in the case. or is otherwise constructed so that it can be turned.

The valve normally remains out of engagement with its seat when no steam is present in the radiator but is closed by the expansion of the thermostat caused by the heat of the steam when the latter is admitted to the radiator. By adjusting the supporting socket for the thermostat, the valve can be moved toward and from its seat and the distance of travel of the valve in closing under the expansion action of the thermo stat can thus be nicely regulated. This enables the valve to be adjusted so that it will close under a greater or less expansion move ment of the thermostat and thus at a greater or less degree of heat, as may be desired.

The tension of the spring H is such that any expansion movement of the thermostat will act first upon the valve for closing the same, and any further expansion of the thermostat caused by an increase in heat after the valve is closed will be taken care of by the spring which thus forms a cushion for the thermostat and prevents injury thereto which might otherwise result from such additional expansion.

To permit of proper adjustment of the valve and to insure the proper operation of the device, it is necessary that the theri'nostat when unexpanded should have a fixed position and that the closing movement of the valve should be produced by the expansion of the thermostat alone and independently of any expansion movement of the cushion spring. This is accomplished by providing a suitable stop which limits the upward or expansion movement of the spring, and by employing a spring of such size and tension that it normally presses against the stop. Any suitable means may be employed for this purpose. In the construction shown in Figs. 15 inclusive, a stop bar or pin 1 is employed which extends across the upper end of the spring between the same and the thermostat, and projects at its ends through vertical slots 2' formed in the opposite sides of the supporting socket G. The upper ends of these slots limit the upward movement of the pin and the tension of the spring is such that it normally holds the pin in engagement therewith and thus retains the thermostat in a fixed normal or initial position. The slots are of suflicient length to permit the pin to move downwardly against the pres sure of the spring and take care of any additional expansion of the thermostat after the valve has been closed.

In Fig. 6 a modification is shown in which, in place of the retaining pin l for limiting the upward movement of the spring, an an nular shoulder or ring K is employed which is formed or secured in the upper portion of the supporting socket and is engaged by a follower Z which rests upon the spring and upon which the thermostat rests. The upward movement of this follower is arrested by the shoulder against which. the follower is held by the spring in the normal position of the thermostat.

The employment of a stop device which limits the upward movement of the spring and fixes the normal position of the thermostat, permits a considerable latitude in the size and tension of the springs which can be effectively used for supporting the thermostat and does away with the necessity of exercising great care and exactness in the selection and mounting of the supporting s rings. This materially reduces the cost of manufacture of the device and enables strong and durable springs to be employed which cannoteasiiy lose their tension or get out of order. This construction also prevents the spring from influencing the opening and closing movements of the valve, the latter being controlled entirely by the ex pansion and contraction of the thermostat, whereby certainty and exactness in the action of the device is insured.

The construction of the case and other parts of the valve is such that they can be easily and quickly assembled and can be readily taken apart for inspection and repair whenever necessary. The valve can be adjusted when in place on the radiator by simily removing the cap at the bottom of the case and turning the supporting socket of the thermostat by a suitable tool.

I claim as my invention:

In an automatic air valve, the combination of a valve casing provided with a valve seat, of a rigid thermostatic member, a valve carried by the upper end thereof, a supporting spring on which said member rests, a socket in which said spring is supported and which is provided with longitudinal slots, and a transverse supporting bar for said member inovably arranged in said slots and held in its normal supporting position by said spring, substantially as set forth.

ll itness my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

C? XRLES H. SIMM-GNS.

\V i tnesses Gnonon W. PARKER. Joint C. Ma'rnnws.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

